Working for the Summer
by Jedi.Vixen
Summary: AU. LeonxSora. Sora wants a job. He gets one, but screws up. Now he tries to find a way to pay Leon back, even though he doesn't have to.
1. Prologue

Working for the Summer

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts

Rating: PG, but if it'll escalate REAL fast

Pairings: LeonxSora

Warnings: AU; MANxBOY! might be ooc-ness

Summary: Sora gets a job but damages Leon's car and ends up being indebted to him. **:3**

**Importante Noto**: Leon's not a perverted old man or anything. Sora's actually the perverted little imp!

**Prologue: Dude, you hit my car**

* * *

Like any teen during the summer – bored and broke – Sora wanted a job. He wasn't particular. He had just finished his junior year, so it wasn't like he could get anything above minimum wage or which required high education. Working at a fast food joint was too cliché, plus he was real clumsy in the kitchen. Taking orders required good memory. Busing tables didn't sound too hard, but Sora didn't feel like standing and running around all day. He could take a job at the local candy store, but he had had bad experiences with bratty little kids.

So maybe he _was_ particular. But that made him even more desperate. One morning, while watching his mother frown at the newspaper, he thought, 'Hey, I could deliver those!'

"Honestly! They need to replace that new kid," his mother said from the island in the middle of the kitchen. She fanned the top left corner where it was soaked with water. It hadn't rained the night before, so Sora could only guess what had happened.

"Aren't they usually wrapped with plastic?" he asked, standing across from her and studying the paper. There were also other blotches of water here and there.

"Yeah." She nodded to the trash. Sora peaked around the counter and saw a ripped wrapper covered in brown dirt. "It landed in my orchids."

Sora looked at her. "Do you think I could deliver newspapers?"

His mother gave him somewhat of a dubious look, but she didn't want to disappoint her son. Sora was smart, but sort of lacking in anything physical. "Ah well, you have to wake up early."

"I know."

"And dogs love paper boys."

Sora grinned. "I love dogs, too!"

"Erm… and you have to have impeccable aim."

"I do! Remember when I was in softball?"

Sora's mother didn't want to remind him that that was in the fifth grade, and he had been too cute to shoo off the pitcher's mound, no matter how much he sucked. She supposed it was good that he had been friends with the coach and the parents whose kids were on the team.

"Alright, dear. Just be careful."

* * *

Sora rushed to Bad Burgers for some late lunch and an opportunity to speak to his best friend, Riku, who worked as a cashier. Riku was a year older than him and hella good looking. He was confident, charming, and could at least see a foot over the cash register; the same could not be said of tiny, petite, 10-year-old-looking Sora. The two best friends had handed in their resumes at the same time, and even had their interviews on the same day. Riku had gotten a, "You're hired!" and Sora got a, "Are you sure you're 16?"

"Riku! Riku!" cried the small brunet, rushing up to the counter. The girls in the long line glared at him.

"Hey, buddy," Riku said as he pulled out the customer's change from the register. "What are you so excited about that couldn't wait? I get a break in ten minutes."

Sora paused, blinking his big, cerulean colored eyes. "Oh. Haha. That's right. I'll be at our usual spot."

Riku watched Sora run off and smiled. "Silly."

* * *

"I got one! I finally got a job!"

The silver haired heart-throb made his way over to the booth in the back, resisting the urge to shake his head. Half the establishment had probably heard Sora's shout. Riku slid into the seat across from him with a smirk. "About time, you bum."

Sora gave a pout much too cute for a teen his age. "Hey! Don't tease me. It's not my fault if I look too young," he said defensively, crossing his arms.

Riku considered telling Sora where he could work for his boyish looks and get ten times what Bad Burger paid in a day, but that wouldn't be too appropriate. "So… What is it?"

"A delivery boy!"

Had Riku been drinking he would have choked and died. "What? As in, 'lunch time service'?" Damn. It turns out Riku didn't have to tell him that job at _Satisfy Your --_

"What's that?" Sora asked, tilting his head. "Is it another name for the newspaper brigade?"

Riku laughed, startling the clueless brunet. "Nothing. Nothing," he said as soon as he had calmed down. "So, when do you start? I hate the current paper boy we have."

"Yeah. Destiny News agreed, too. I start next week." The job required no experience; just a bike and a decent arm (should one choose to throw).

"Have you eaten yet?"

Sora shook his head. "Nope. I was gonna get something here."

"Well, it's my treat in celebration of your new job. Get a Master Combo on anything you want!"

"I love you, Riku!"

Riku was suddenly flooded with spiky, cinnamon colored hair and the scent of vanilla on a warm, tiny body. "Not so loud," he muttered in feigned annoyance, embracing his friend tightly. Although he was _truly_ happy for Sora, he couldn't help but worry. Their neighborhood had dogs that loved chewable legs and, worst of all, jerks with expensive cars.

* * *

Messenger bag strapped, helmet fastened, gloves on, chains oiled, shin guards protecting (by whim of his mother and Riku alike), and high on caffeine, Sora was ready to take on the rolls of thick newspaper in plastic wraps. The 5 a.m. air never smelt so good and fresh.

He lived in the stereotypical rich suburbs with large lawns and flowerbeds. There were nice cars on the side of the road for convenience for some people. Some homes had white picket fences or tall metal ones, which dogs liked to jump over or had secret holes under which they could crawl through. Sora sat on his bike, one foot on the ground, while he mentally and physically prepared himself.

This was no sweat, right? Peddle, throw the paper, peddle. Easy enough. If there are dogs, don't panic; just stop. Remember, animals can sense fear. Aim for the door; properties of timing and physics. Whatever you do: don't hit people or windows. If either of those happen, apologize or peddle like no tomorrow.

Sora smiled to himself. He was glad Riku had sat down and talked to him about this. Riku even had him practice at their houses. Sora had two houses between them to give himself a run-through, so he had rode back and forth, pitching a paper on his mountain bike. Yep. He would dedicate his first paycheck to buying Riku a "Thank You" card, and then some.

At the first house, Sora perfectly aimed for his target, and the paper landed right at the door step. He was sure old Mr. and Mrs. Tsunabe would appreciate that.

And the house after that and the house after and the house after that were total successes as well. No dogs had come out after him, so far, but he still had twenty more houses (ten on either side of the circular street). Sora knew better than to think the coast was clear, but he was having a great time riding around and throwing rolled-up papers.

Several people who came out to meet the paper boy were overjoyed when they saw that it was the neighborhood sweetheart, Aino Sora, instead of the horrible teen who aimed to shatter windows and make a bulls-eye on foreheads. Sora tossed the paper to them while giving a cheerful morning greeting.

Then his first dog came out. Mrs. Kisimiasa had a Rotweiler named 'Fluffy', which nearly came up to Sora's waist in height. Sora forgot all of Riku's advice as he sprinted as fast as he could on the side of the road, his focus on the big dog currently threatening to bite off what little bit of leg he had. He screamed, peddling faster.

He didn't see the man getting out of a brand new Z9 BMW sports car, or that he was barreling right for him. But the man saw the screaming boy and watched with wide eyes as said screaming boy ran right into the trunk of his car, scratching the beautiful red paint and cracking the glass of his back windshield with his helmet.

* * *

Sora woke up a few minutes later. His body was sore, but he figured he still had his primary motor abilities intact. He felt the grass beneath him as he blinked up at Riku.

"Sora, are you okay?" he asked in concern. "How many good looking people do you see?"

The brunet made a face. "None."

Riku practically jumped at his best friend, hugging his petite friend closely by the neck. "You're alright!" he exclaimed, nuzzling Sora's helmet-hair. "I thought you'd die."

Sora struggled uncomfortably. "R-Riku. I… I can't…" he rasped, windpipe getting crushed. Riku immediately let go, watching with affection as Sora glared at him. "I'm okay, but…" His eyes widened, remembering the dog and the thing he crashed into. "Oh no!" He quickly looked around, and noticed a man with longish brown hair and a leather jacket standing on the sidewalk, facing his car. Ignoring the ache in his muscles, he rushed to the man who obviously owned said thing that he had crashed into. "Mister! I'm really, really sorry about –"

"It's fine," the man replied without turning around, but Sora could tell he was pissed and irritated. "Just watch where you're going next time. You're lucky you weren't hurt."

Sora felt his eyes watering as he looked at the rear end of the car. The windshield had several nice zigzag lines sprouting from the center. There were scrapes on the trunk where his knee and elbow pads had skid across, and a dent in the trunk where his bike had collided. Said bike was laying the sidewalk beside the man, front wheel bent. His messenger bag with newspapers was beside it, looking as if someone had reorganized it that way.

The man gave a heavy sigh, got in his car, and drove off, probably to the body shop. Sora's bottom lip trembled.

"Hey, he's an ass, anyway," Riku said softly, rubbing Sora's shoulders. "I don't know his name, but he just moved in two days ago, I think." He had complimented the guy on his car and his ass, and the man flipped him off without a second glance.

"He… he didn't… even look at me!" Sora mumbled, sniffling. God, he felt like such an idiot. Why couldn't he do anything right? On his first day, he managed to fuck up the job. He embraced Riku and started sobbing onto his friend's broad shoulder, quickly wetting the thin material of his shirt. Riku held him with his free arm; the other had Sora's protective gear that he had removed earlier.

"Come on. Let's deliver the rest of these newspapers."

Sora nodded and picked up his bike and bag. As he and Riku continued delivering the morning papers, he promised himself he would earn every cent of the cost of damage and pay the man back -- with interest.

* * *

The next morning, Sora woke up extra early to make his mother's famous cinnamon buns and placed a letter made of icing on each one, so that if you put it together, it would read, 'I am sorry.' Sora didn't know if the man even liked pastries, but it was most he could cook without burning down the whole house. His mother even helped him, surprised yet grateful the man hadn't pressed charges. She had berated her son the night before, but she hadn't gone too far, as Sora was doing most of his own punishment in the form of guilt (he had also quit his job). So they placed the fresh rolls in a nice, glass platter and wrapped it with blue saran wrap.

The brunet made his way along the sidewalk at seven in the morning, hoping the man would be awake. He remembered where the man lived by the neighboring houses. He came across a big, stone two story house that was his destination and idly wondered if the man lived alone. There was no car on the side of the road nor in the driveway, and Sora's heart sank. He was too late…

Just then, a black SUV pulled up, and the man came out of his house, dressed in a business suit. Sora immediately recognized the layered, long chocolate colored hair and rushed up in front of him. Sora looked up and his heart literally stopped, stilled by hardened grey eyes, a strong jaw, soft lips, powerful frame, and the heady scent of expensive cologne. The man couldn't have been older than 26. Sora blinked, plate in his hands, suddenly forgetting what he was supposed to do.

"Yes?" the elder prompted curtly, startling Sora out of his trance. The pitiful boy remained silent for a moment, furiously wracking his brain for a response but instead activated the part of his brain that told him the very epitome of sexy maleness was in front of him, causing him to blush.

"My name's Aino Sora," he said, looking up into those grey eyes. "I crashed into your car, remember?" The man simply nodded. Sora swallowed and pushed his plate upwards. "These are for you. I know these won't make up for anything, but it's a start. I plan to give you whatever I get paid this summer, or if you need any sort of help, I'll be glad to do it. I wasn't sure if you like cinnamon rolls, but I wanted to make you something from my heart, and –"

"Hey Leon! We're going to be late!" a blond man called from the black Navigator. Sora turned around. "Sorry, kid."

Sora gave the blond a weak smile and jumped when the plate was taken from his hands.

"Thanks," the man – Leon – said, brushing passed him. Sora stood awkwardly after him, feeling better since his present had been accepted.

* * *

Cloud glanced at the plate in his friend's lap, the smell of its contents permeating the air of his car. "Are those cinnamon buns?" he asked. "Who was that boy, anyway?"

"The one that totaled my car," Leon grumbled in response, looking out the window. The plate began to warm his thighs uncomfortably.

"Haha. That's the famous kid? He's kinda cute, and he didn't _total_ it," Cloud said, stopping at a traffic light. Leon grunted. "So, open it up. I'm hungry."

The brunet did so slowly. He unwrapped the plate and noticed the first three rolls, which were organized like a 2-D pyramid. " I – A – M…" Cloud took the 'I' on top, and Leon took the other two to read the next five buns. "S – O – R – R – Y."

Cloud stepped on the gas as the cars began to move. "If that's not fuckin' adorable, I don't know what is." He bit into the roll and moaned after the first two chews. "Mm… thith ish the shit," he said around the pastry.

Leon made a face. "Don't talk with your mouth full." He put the 'M' bun down and took a bite out of the 'A', munching thoughtfully, then took another bite once he swallowed, then another bite.

Cloud smiled to himself. His best friend detested pastries.

* * *

"Hm… how about being a bagger at Dah Market?" Riku suggested, sipping at his soda. He and Sora were eating the usual 'late lunch' at his work.

Sora considered it. "I guess. I mean, how hard could it be?" he asked with a smile. He dipped a fry in his ketchup and stuffed it in his mouth.

The older boy cringed. Throwing papers wasn't supposed to be hard, either. "So, how do you plan on paying that guy back?"

"I'll get a job to pay him back, and I'll also help him with stuff," Sora replied easily. "Like mow his lawn or clean his house."

"And how long were you going to do that?"

Sora shrugged. "For as long as it takes, I guess. I know the damage cost is pretty high."

"It shouldn't be that much, maybe 1500 or something." Riku honestly didn't like the idea of being burdened by paying a guy back, who clearly had the money to take care of it himself, but Sora wouldn't know a free ride even if it were naked and grinding against his ass.

The brunet just hoped he wouldn't screw up anymore.

* * *

Early the next day Sora had dropped his application off at Dah Market and was walking back home when he noticed the huge mover's truck at Leon's house. He figured it would be a perfect opportunity to help the man by moving boxes and unpacking.

Leon was dressed in a wife-beater and baggy jeans as he helped carry the boxes into his home. Sora wondered again if the guy had a family, or at least a wife. He noticed the blond man from the black Navigator the other day, who grumbled as he followed Leon in and out of the house, with and without a box. Leon didn't seem to notice him, as he'd just continue walking.

Sora had caught sight of Leon's muscles as the man stopped by the truck and wiped his brow with the back of his hand. Sora blushed again. He had never considered sweat very appealing (he was extra hygienic and hated perspiring) but it made Leon's arms glisten _so_ nicely…

"Hey, kid!" the blond called out to Sora from the lawn. "Make yourself useful." Leon looked up and finally noticed said windshield breaker. Sora walked up to him almost shyly.

"It seems like you could use some help," he said cheerfully, trying hard not to stare anywhere below the collarbone (which was nicely defined, by the way). "What do you want me to do?"

Leon gave him a once-over. "You certainly can't carry boxes." He went into the truck and reappeared with a medium sized one labeled 'bed sheets'. Since it was light, he gave it to Sora and led him into the house. Sora followed precariously, as he could barely see above the top. He nearly tripped on the door step, but Leon caught his bicep in time, giving him an amused look. "I'd hate to see you _drive_."

Sora pouted, but the effect of Leon's sarcasm was affected by the warmth emanating from their one point of contact. Leon immediately let go and walked further into the foyer. Sora walked into what seemed like the living room, since there were some couches among the piles of boxes. There was a kitchen on the left, separated from the den by a large, curving island of grey marble. Beside it was a glass dining table with four chairs. There were smaller boxes with 'FRAGILE' on them. Men from the moving company were coming down the stairs on the far right.

"Unpack the kitchen appliances and containers. The boxes are labeled separately. Can you do that?"

By the last question Leon didn't mean to make Sora out to be a total dummy, or at least Sora hoped not.

"Yes. I put them in the cabinets?"

"That's right."

Sora nodded, looking at the boxes that were beside the island. The ones Leon had mentioned were already there. He could do this! As the man brushed passed him Sora caught a whiff of some spicy deodorant and a hint of 100 percent pure masculinity. He blushed again and made his way to the 'appliances' box, ripping off the tape and wondering why the heat was spreading from his face to the rest of his body.

Leon owned a blender, waffle-maker, toaster, coffee-maker, juicer, a sandwich-griller, slow-cooker, and pots and pans. Sora laid all these out on the kitchen counter and put the 'cookers' together and the 'drink-related' on the other side of the sink. He put the slow-cooker and griller, pots and pans in a nice pile in one of the lower cabinets. Next came the annoying food containers. He stacked the bottoms from biggest to smallest and put them in the last, top cabinet, then put the lids in a drawer underneath it.

The young brunet waited by the island as he waited for Leon to bring in the last of the boxes. He heard the truck leave and Leon and the blond enter.

"Break time," the latter announced, heading for Leon's fridge through the other gap of the island. "What do you want kid?" he asked, opened the right, metal door. "There's milk, oj, soda, water, and beer."

"Orange juice, please," Sora replied.

"Leon?"

"Water," said the stoic brunet. The blond gathered the orange juice carton and two bottles of water. "Cups are in the top right cabinet."

Sora dutifully got one, a large, plastic cup with a football team on it. He poured until the level was a little more than half and put the carton back into the fridge.

"My name's Cloud," said the blonde, leaning against the other side of the island. He had given Leon his water, which was being emptied steadily. "And you're Sora?"

Sora nodded. "Nice to meet you." Had Leon spoken about him to his friends? Who else knew about him other than Cloud? Cloud probably thought he was a huge idiot, despite how nice he seemed. He was shorter than Leon, but taller than Sora, and wore a dark blue sleeveless shirt and white basketball shorts. His short, blonde hair stuck out in odd angles, but his bangs feel over the right side of his face nicely, bringing out his blue eyes.

"You make the best cinnamon rolls ever. Doesn't he, Leon?" Cloud asked, winking in Sora's direction. Leon probably didn't catch the look, as he was leaning against a stack of boxes and now staring at the plastic bottle in his hands.

"Thanks," Sora said, completely confused by the wink Cloud had sent him. Riku usually gave him those when he was hinting something, joking, or had made a suggestive comment. He drained his cup, rinsed it, and found a towel hanging from the handle of the oven so that he could dry it and put it back in the cabinet.

Leon gave him more boxes to unpack as he unwrapped the furniture and shelves. Cloud moved some of the boxes upstairs. Sora put more plates in the cabinet, then helped Leon organize his office, which was across the house and by the staircase. The man obviously liked to read. He had novels, encyclopedias, and texts on home designing and corporate architecture. Leon was anal with those, too. Each type of books had their own shelves.

It was six by the time Leon suggested he go home. Sora's mother called a moment later.

"My mom's asking if you would like to come over," the teen said, crouched by the encyclopedia section. Leon was at his desk, hooking up his desktop. "She made fettuccini with caesar salad. Cloud can come, too."

"I'm still pretty busy here," Leon replied, from over his PC, plugging in the wires. "I'll just grab something later."

Sora looked crestfallen. "Please? It's the least I can do."

Leon glanced up at him. "You've been helping me here. That's enough."

"But I promised I'd make it up to you," Sora said vehemently, standing up. "I'm a real klutz, and I can't seem to hold a job." His voice fell. "So I'm just trying to pay you back with my body."

He watched as Leon colored slightly, running a hand through his hair. "You shouldn't say things like that, Sora," he murmured.

Sora blinked. Did he say something wrong? It was the truth. "Well, please come to dinner. My mom wants to meet you."

"Fine," the older man said, looking away. "Let me shower first."

Sora nodded, smiling broadly. "I'll tell Cloud!" And he ran off in search of said blond, who was raiding the fridge.

Leon let out a shaky breath, wondering just what the hell he had gotten himself into.

* * *

I should be working on Naruto fics, but I just love LeonxSoraxLeon wayyyy too much not to write a fic for it. 


	2. Chapter 1 NEW

Working for the Summer

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. I have no money! Like Sora, I need a summer job.

Rating: PG-13

Pairings: LeonxSora

Warnings: AU; MANxBOY! might be ooc-ness; bad language; innuendo

Summary: Leon meets Sora's mom. Riku is perverted. Sora helps Leon search for his favorite ice cream flavor! **:3**

**Chapter One: Buns and Cream**

* * *

Sora had a two story, white house made of wood, but it was still in top shape, having been re-painted last summer. He had lived in Traverse Street for about ten years. When his parents had divorced, his mother moved into her old home with Sora's grandmother, who had passed away two years ago. The lawn was kept trimmed, and a flower bed aligned the bottom of the porch.

Sora, Leon, and Cloud had walked three houses down just as the sun had finally set. The boy's mother greeted them at the porch and led them inside. To the left was the living room cluttered with pictures, a fire place, furniture and an entertainment system at the opposite wall where video games and DVDs spilled around a large TV set. Ahead was the stairs, and the right was a short foyer and then the kitchen. On the dining table was a large bowl of salad and four plates, leaving three other spots empty.

"I hope you're hungry," she said, turning to the kitchen. "Please have a seat."

"Thank you for having us Aino-san," Cloud said, trying to hide just how hungry he was. He took the only available seat on the other side of the table. Leon took the second seat across from him, leaving the seat at the end and the one to his left vacant.

"You're welcome. Thank you for coming over," the woman replied, putting the fettuccini from the pot into a large bowl and bringing it to the table. Sora brought the pitcher of iced tea from the fridge and set it in the middle, taking the seat beside Leon. His mother remained standing and took their plates to put the pasta in.

"Mom. That's Cloud, and this is Leon," Sora said, gesturing politely. "Um, you know how I hit his car." Cloud chuckled softly to himself, then caught Leon's glare and started coughing to cover it.

Sora's mother continued until she passed the plates back and sat down. "Mr. Leon, I wanted to personally –"

" 'Leon', please," the addressed said softly. "It's all right. You don't need to apologize."

The woman smiled. She liked this Leon already, since he was so handsome and generous. "Thank you. But I also wanted to say I hope you take full advantage of Sora."

"Ex – excuse me?"

"His offer, I mean," she said, currently putting salad in another plate and missing the red tainting his cheeks. "Don't let his looks fool you. You can work him as hard as you want."

And Leon cleared his throat slightly. Sora took the man's empty glass and poured some tea for him. "Thanks," he mumbled, quickly taking several gulps. There was something amiss about this family… Sora grinned.

"So what do you do?" the boy's mother asked, sitting after she had served everyone.

"Cloud and I build offices. We were located here for a three year contract with Masamune Incorporated."

"Ah, yes. They bought the Hollow Bastion Property and demolished everything."

"That's right. There have been bids up for leasing from major companies already, and our boss wanted our team to get together to discuss architectural designs with the final buyers."

"Don't the other companies have their own team for that?"

"Well, since the land primarily belongs to Masamune," began Cloud, having more knowledge on politics, "Sephiroth wanted his influence on the buildings. It was one of his conditions in the contracts. If the other companies don't like it, they'll be missing out on some prime real estate."

The adults spoke along the same lines for another hour, leaving Sora to gather the empty dishes and wash them quietly at the sink. He felt slightly excluded but was glad Leon was getting along with his mother. Suddenly the phone rang, and he leaped to the island of the kitchen to answer it.

"Yellow!" he greeted cheerfully.

/ "Hey, Sora,"/ said Riku. / "I haven't seen you all day."/

"Sorry, I was helping Leon unpack his things."

/ "Unsupervised!"/

"Huh? No, his friend was with us."

/ "Oh, like that's any better."/

Sora grew confused. "Why, what's wrong?"

Riku didn't want to tell Sora about the dangers of being alone around older men, but Leon was sexy, so it was okay to be around _that_ particular older man. / "Nothing. So does he have a girlfriend or anything?"/

Sora blushed and walked into the living room, not wanting to continue the conversation in front of the subject. "I don't know. He only has Cloud, but that's his friend."

/ "How old?"/

"About Leon's age, I think."

/ "Hm, could be his boyfriend."/

The brunet shrugged. "Um… I guess, but they don't seem 'like that' to me. They don't live together, at least." Somehow, the thought of Cloud and Leon being together made his heart sink.

/ "Wanna hang out tomorrow? It's my day off."/

"I dunno. I want to help Leon more with unpacking. He has a lot of stuff."

Riku chuckled. / "I bet he does."/

Sora felt his face heating, although he wasn't sure why. "I'll ask if you can help, too. I'll call you tomorrow."

/ "Okay. Bye, Sora."/

"I love you, Riku."

They hung up. Sora stood and made his way back into the kitchen. Just then Leon and Cloud excused themselves and thanked his mother for dinner.

"Your food is excellent, Aino-san," Cloud said. "Maybe Sora should hit my car," he added jokingly. Leon rolled his eyes.

"Thank you. You two are welcome here anytime," Sora's mother said, amused.

"Leon, do you need more help tomorrow?" Sora asked.

The older man looked hesitant for a second. Cloud poked the small of his back, urging him to reply. "Sure."

"And can I bring Riku?" At Leon's confused look, Sora elaborated. "Silver hair, he's a year older than me. Kinda conceited," he added sheepishly.

"Oh." Leon remembered a boy running to Sora's rescue the other day with the same physical description.

"He's really cool. I think he lives across from you, sort of."

Then Leon remembered a cat-call he had received the a while back. He was sure it had come from that conceited silver haired boy – sounded like it. "I don't think so."

Sora's face fell. "Oh. Okay."

Leon didn't know why he always made the boy feel bad… only to make him smile again. "Then again, one more helping hand wouldn't hurt," he deadpanned, trying to make his change of heart sound casual. Sora suddenly ran up and hugged him around the waist, pinning the older man's arms to his sides. Leon stumbled slightly, startled.

The small brunet looked up at him and grinned, flashing white teeth. "You won't regret it!"

Sora's mother gave an apologetic look. "Sora, honey, what have I told you about randomly hugging people?"

Leon breathed easily when Sora let go. He already regretted tomorrow.

* * *

The two best friends met up at Riku's house before going over to Leon's. They crossed the street and appeared at the well-trimmed lawn. Cloud's car wasn't anywhere there that day, and Sora felt disappointed. He had made cinnamon rolls again to share with the nice blond.

"Hey, you read my mind!" Riku said, aiming for the blue-wrapped plate in Sora's hands. The plate evaded him.

"Not even. This is for Leon," Sora said, glaring at the silver haired teen. "And if he chooses to share, you can have one."

Today's message was, 'Eat Me.' The note might have implied a challenge if said in another situation, but Sora didn't want to make too many cinnamon rolls and he _really_ wracked his brain for a catchy message. Riku looked closely at the letters and smirked.

"Sora, you animal. Since when did you go for older guys? I'm older than you, but you never made me baked goods." He pouted minutely.

Sora rolled his eyes. "Pervert. And 'older guy' does not equate to 'older _boy_.' Not that I'm interested in him," he added quickly. He sounded just a _bit_ too defensive, didn't he?

Riku stopped. "Wait, what was that?" he asked innocently. "Is my little Sora finally lusting after the hot piece of ass that is 'Leon'?" Sora turned to him, glaring and blushing. Riku grinned and imitated a high, girly voice. " 'Oh, Leon. Fuck me please! De-virginize me!'"

Sora would have thrown the plate at Riku's neck, Frisbee-style, in the hopes that it would decapitate him if it didn't have a more important mission, like delivering delicious, home-made pastries to a sexy, older, more experienced man by the name of Leon, who had nice arms, broad shoulders, narrow hips, and nice legs. Did he do time at the gym or was that body just natural because Sora really wouldn't mind asking Leon for the obscenities that had just left Riku's mocking, arrogant lips. And Sora wished he had an extra plate so he could shove it down his best friend's throat and --

"Hey, Sora," Riku said, shaking Sora's shoulder lightly and smiling. He was standing very, very close. "I'm kidding!"

The brunet realized he had zoned out and glared at Riku again before turning and heading for the doorstep of Leon's house, ignoring the whistling behind him. He rang the doorbell and was greeted by the sexy homeowner after a couple of minutes. Sora tried not to stare at the older man, who wore a thin, fitting (but not tight, damn!) red shirt and baggy jeans that hung almost on his ass (not that Sora could tell, because that would require _looking_ down there and --).

He felt a finger dig insistently into his back and shook his head. Was he zoning out _again_? "Ah, good morning, Leon. These are for you," Sora said brightly, nudging his plate of goods towards the older man. Leon took the plate with a soft 'thanks' and let them inside.

"Nice place," Riku said, taking in the size, though the house seemed a little hollow, even to him. There were fewer boxes in the living room, only a couple. There was a couch, two love seats, a recliner, and a low glass coffee table. They were facing a large plasma TV on a shelf with a stereo system in a case to the left, and a DVD player on the shelf to the right. There were boxes there.

Leon put the plate on the island by the kitchen. He glanced at the message and arched a brow. Why did he have a tendency to attract perverts, even one so cute as a 'seemingly' innocent boy? He walked towards the staircase of the other side of the house, two teens in tow. "I have some things upstairs, Sora," he said, completely ignoring Riku. The silver haired teen paused.

"What am I going to do?" he asked impatiently.

"There're boxes down there. Don't break anything," Leon replied without turning around, already heading up the stairs.

Riku glared but couldn't help admiring Leon's ass. Sora glanced back apologetically, but it turned into a glare as Riku smirked and started pumping his hips suggestively. It was all Sora could do to refrain himself from yelling, 'YOU ARROGANT, SEX-CRAZED, STUPID, (best) FRIEND OF MINE!' Unfazed and quite satisfied with himself, Riku turned back into the living room, wondering if he could manipulate the icing on the buns to read, 'FUCK' instead of 'EAT'. Or just devour all of them

Sora's blush didn't seem to want to abate any time soon as they reached the top floor. Leon led him to the right, which consisted of a single, large bedroom, as the double doors were wide open. He glanced at the four poster bed, cursing Riku for the millionth time for all the Riku-like thoughts associated with it. There was a desk at the corner and a laptop with a lamp and some books. Beside it, by the window, was another empty, tall bookcase and a box beside it.

"You can unpack that box," Leon said, as if reading the teen's thoughts. "I still have to work on the closet." He disappeared into said walk-in closet, and the sound of hammering permeated through the house.

Sora did as he was told, dutifully walking to the box half his height and removing the items. They consisted of more leather bound books, portfolios, pictures, and sketches in frames. Sora decided to work from bottom to top, putting the books on the bottom and thick, 3-inch binder portfolios (there were quite a few) on the next level. He came across a few sketch pads with spiral bindings on top of the pile. They looked old. The covers had years written on them, dating back five years or so. Curiously, Sora opened the pad a year old. He saw a lion on the first page with scars and missing tatters of fur. There was a sword in its mouth, which dripped with what looked like blood. He traced his fingers over the picture, awed by the shading and overall emotion radiating from the simple sketch. He suddenly wanted to know more about this man – the man all too reflected in this creature.

There were other sketches of skyscrapers, mansions, and gardens. Once the hammering stopped he quickly continued putting the items on the shelf. Leon came out of the closet.

"I need more nails," he said, running a hand through his hair. Sora perked up at this.

"I'll get it!" he cried enthusiastically. Leon nodded and began pulling out his wallet, but Sora waved his hands dismissively. "I'll pay for it. What do you need?"

"Three-inch masonry nails."

The teen looked thoughtful (lost) for a moment, and Leon still considered just getting them himself. He didn't want Sora running around with nails, unless they were buffered with bubble wrapping and sealed in a plastic sphere.

"How will you get to the hardware store?" Leon asked.

"Riku can drive."

"I see." The man left the room and went downstairs, Sora in tow. They spotted Riku lying on the couch, one leg thrown over the back, reading a car magazine he had stolen from the coffee table. "Hey, you. Go to the store."

Riku leaned up on one elbow, glaring at Leon. "Name's Riku, old man."

"Riku!" Sora admonished, crossing his arms and pouting. The said silver haired teen rolled his eyes and sat up, swinging his legs over the edge. He put the magazine back on the table.

"What? Find out you ran out of condoms?" he muttered under his breath, sulking that his best friend took the side of the hot, new neighbor.

"What was that?"

"I said, 'May I help you, Your Royal Sexiness?" replied Riku sarcastically.

Leon let the last bit go. "I need some three-inch masonry nails. Get four more."

"Fine." He stood as Leon pulled out his wallet and handed him a $20. Sora took out his cute, yellow and blue Mickey Mouse wallet.

"I'll pay for it, Leon," he protested, snatching the bill from Riku with a glare (he was upset with Riku being so rude) and handing it back to Leon with a smile.

"I don't want your money, Sora," Riku said, snatching Leon's bill back from his best friend.

"You never complained before!"

"That's when I was doing things for _you_, Sora. But you know you didn't have to give me money for _that_," he said with a wink. Sora turned fifty shades of red as he felt Leon shift uncomfortably.

"Just take my money and go!" Sora replaced Leon's bill with his for the final time and pushed the laughing silver haired teen out the door, wondering why he had such an infuriating, idiotic, hormonal boy for a best friend.

Leon shook his head as he watched the display. All he wanted were some nails.

* * *

Sora apologized profusely as they moved into the garage, where there were more boxes in the wide, empty space. Leon muttered reassurances, but the boy still went on about how Riku was rude and stupid, always embarrassing him in front of other people.

"Are you two dating or something?" Leon asked, bent over a box as he ripped the sealing tape off. Sora couldn't see his expression.

"No way!" the brunet boy said with a cringe. "He's like a brother to me. It'll just be weird." He sighed, leaning against a table by where Leon began pulling out tool boxes and other instruments used for cars. "I've always wondered why he hangs out with me all the time. Riku's super popular and so handsome. We're polar opposites."

"Don't say that." Sora glanced up as Leon was suddenly in front of him, pushing him closer against the edge of the table. There was an unreadable emotion in those stormy grey eyes. He swallowed and bit his lip nervously, inadvertently attracting Leon's gaze to his mouth. They locked eyes again as Sora looked up, an unspoken question in his eyes. "You're perfect just the way you are, Sora," Leon said softly, a hand ghosting over boy's arm, hesitating. "Anyone would want to be with you."

Sora nodded absently, feeling lightheaded. He could smell that intoxicating scent again, the mixture of aftershave and musk. Leon's body was only inches away from his. He had to tilt his head back slightly, as he only came up to the older man's chest. "Th-Thanks, Leon," he whispered, not able to do much else.

Distantly, his cell phone rang. Leon retreated smoothly, as if nothing had happened; his raised hand dropped in a tight fist. Sora exhaled, unaware that he had been holding his breath. He recognized the ring tune to be that of Riku's and reached into his back pocket for his phone.

"Y-yeah," he said, cursing himself inwardly for stuttering.

/ "Want me to pick up something?"/ Riku asked casually. Music played in the background – probably from his favorite Rock station. / "I'm starved. I guess I can feed your lover, too, if he's not feasting on anything else."/

Sora didn't deny the feeling of disappointment that welled up in inside him "Oh, okay," he replied through a small smile. Thankfully, Riku hadn't noticed anything.

/ "Mm, I feel like a sandwich from Payton's Subs."/

"Sounds good." Holding the receiver to his shoulder, he addressed Leon, who was just putting the last of his ratchets on the table. "Riku's getting lunch from Payton's Subs. Want anything?"

"Sure. Number 4," the older man replied without looking at him. Sora nodded and turned his attention back to his phone.

"Um, get a number 4 and 6."

/ "Yes, sir,"/ Riku mocked. / "See ya."/

"Bye." The teen hung up and put his phone back into his pocket. He looked around the garage as he waited for Leon to get him to do something. He saw a full-blown workout machine at the corner, like the ones on TV infomercials. Sora found himself blushing again, although he wasn't quite sure why. So the guy worked out; who cares? But damn, the machine looked recently used, not that Sora was squinting to see for sure…

Leon interrupted his thoughts by producing a basketball net to set up above the garage door. Sora thought how the older man never ceased to surprise him with his athleticism (moving boxes, interior designing, work-out machine). He wished he was half the player most boys his age were, if only to do something in common with Leon. But, you know, one does not need skills on the court to perform well in bed.

Sora blushed and blamed that entire thought on Riku, who would be the bane of his existence (leading him to suicide), who was the ultimate perv rubbing off on him. "Wh-what other sports do you play?" he asked, looking at the worn backboard and the chains used as the net attached to the metal hoop.

"Some football and soccer. I used to compete nationally in karate tournaments when I was about your age."

Sora tried to keep himself from drooling. Leon dressed in nothing but a white gi and covered in sweat was a nice mental image. Just then, a car purring as it entered the driveway pulled him from his internal eye candy. Riku came out of his black Mazda MX-5, sunglasses on and holding paper bags with 'Payton's Subs' written across them. Sora went over to the other side to get the cup holder with drinks.

"Miss me?" Riku cooed, lifting his shades into his hair.

"Yay for lunch!" Sora cheered, turning to Leon with the cardboard tray in hand. The drinks tilted precariously in his grip. "Let's eat inside." He left the other two males, the younger of which glared minutely at the stoic, older man as if saying, 'you touched my Sora, didn't you?'. Leon ignored him as he followed Sora into the house.

* * *

The two older males listened plaintively as Sora chatted away between bites about nothing in particular. He had started his one-sided conversation about school and, fifteen minutes later, had landed on the current topic of his favorite ice cream flavors. Riku was quite used to Sora's sporadic change of topics despite how unrelated they were. Sora just had a way with smooth transitioning. Leon, on the other hand, had gotten lost after TV sitcoms (which was three minutes ago).

"What's your favorite flavor, Leon?" Sora suddenly asked, bringing the older brunet back into the topic of conversation. "Riku likes mint with chocolate chips."

"I'm not much of a fan," Leon replied before sipping at his soda.

Sora made this dramatic gasp, causing Riku to flinch beside him. The silver haired teen braced himself. "You don't like ice cream?" Sora all but shouted, nearly leaping out his seat. Riku smirked at the surprise in Leon's eyes. "It's the best thing in the world!"

"Sora, not everyone wants to be as sugar induced as you are," quipped Riku, crumbling his wrappers into a ball.

The blue eyed boy ignored him. "Come on, Leon. Let's go to Crème de la Crème. You'll have your favorite flavor by the end of the day."

Leon opened his mouth to decline, but the determination in Sora's bright eyes stopped his voice from functioning. He forgot the excuse that the garage needed unpacking, or that he still needed to mount the new poles in his closet.

* * *

Crème de la Crème was a famous parlor in Traverse Town. The medium sized shop was built just adjacent to the entrance of the mall, so that it was sticking out on the side. There were small tables and chairs littering the front under large, red umbrellas, where some people were sitting. The interior of the shop was visible through floor to ceiling windows. Sora was dragging Leon inside while Riku followed along begrudgingly, car keys in hand and feeling very much like a chauffer. He had been ignored the whole day and used to get nails, of all things!

"Hurry up, Riku!" Sora called back, holding the glass door open by the metal handle. Leon was halfway through the doorjamb, glaring at Riku to obey so that they could leave sooner. Riku smiled inwardly at the gestures and waved a hand dismissively. He probably thought too soon.

"Go ahead. I'll be there in a second," he called back. Sora nodded happily and turned to push Leon further into the ice cream parlor. Riku watched them go. "Cute," he muttered, watching the small brunet pushing at the older one through the windows.

The scent of freshly made ice cream and pastries filled the air. The two brunets were forced to wait behind a short line. Leon glanced around, reading the large menus on the left wall and behind the counter. There were pictures of the different flavors all over the place. Ahead was the display case with the eight most popular flavors in large, rectangular containers.

"Hi, Sora," a female employee said. She had auburn hair tied into a ponytail and blue eyes. "What can I get for you?"

"Hey, Kairi," Sora replied, smiling broadly. "Can I get Leon to sample every flavor you have?"

"Sure." She took a small spoon from a jar on top of the display case and swiped the first flavor labeled coffee. Despite the revulsion Leon felt upon looking at the innocent, brown treat, he took the offered spoon and stuck the tip into his mouth. The ice cream melted smoothly on his tongue, invading his taste buds with the sweet, strong flavor.

"Well?" Sora asked, looking up at him with hope eyes. At Leon's lack of response, he asked Kairi, "Can he get the sweet cream?" He was quite the optimist, as always. Plus, he had made a promise!

Kairi took another spoon and took a bit of the requested flavor. Leon dropped his used spoon in its designated trash container and tried the next one. Sora watched him again, and Leon found that this one wasn't half bad. It was a little too sweet for him, but he didn't feel like going through the whole array of flavors presented before him, which included six more trial and errors. He gave a slight nod.

"That's my favorite flavor, too!" the young brunet chimed. Riku came up behind Sora then, running a hand through his wind blown hair. Several girls sighed.

"Most flavors are your favorite, Sora," he deadpanned.

Sora jabbed a finger at Riku's chest and turned to Kairi for a jumbo sized order of sweet cream with crushed brownies and sprinkles. Kairi grinned at Sora's familiar request (albeit bigger size) and proceeded to scoop out a large chunk of ice cream with two scoopers. The boys and man waited off to the side, Sora and Riku bickering lightly about how the latter always picked on the former and embarrassed him. Riku chuckled and whispered something, glancing at Leon, who was trying to ignore the stares from all the female employees and customers. Sora glanced at the stoic man and blushed, hitting Riku on the arm for good measure.

After Sora paid and asked for three spoons, they walked to the outdoor tables to sit and eat. The cashier girl had actually given Sora a two dollar discount. Sora had first thought she punched in the numbers wrong because she kept staring at Leon, but later whispered upon Sora's questioning that part of it was 'on the house.' She slipped a piece of paper to him and asked that he hand it to his 'hot guy friend over there.' Yuki's number was the current topic of conversation.

"She's cute," Sora said lightly, twirling his spoon in the large, Styrofoam bowl. He didn't want to analyze the sinking feeling in his chest.

Leon remained indifferent, rolling the ice cream around in his mouth as he rested a forearm on the plastic table. Sora glanced at him, licking his lips unconsciously. Riku rolled his eyes. His best friend could be quite helpless most of the time.

The silver haired teen filled his spoon to the brim, having to reach over slightly where the bowl rested in front of Sora, who sat in the middle. As Riku's hand retracted, the ice cream _accidentally_ slipped and fell onto Sora's lap, right over the crotch. Riku paused. Sora hadn't noticed anything yet; he was still chatting about that girl. Leon, however, cast a sideways glance and caught Riku's eyes, instantly noting the mischievous glint before it melted into surprise.

"Oh shit. Sorry, Sora," he said slowly and rather unconvincingly. Sora stopped and looked at him.

"Huh? …Ack! That's cold!" Sora abruptly stood, looking at the crotch of his baggy cargo pants. Pieces of brownie and sprinkles began running down with the ice cream, creating a nice trail down the front line of his pants. "Napkins!" he cried. Remembering he hadn't grabbed any, he immediately used the palm of his hand to scrape the trail off. "Crap!" he shouted again, as the large chunk covered most of his fingers. "Riku!"

"Heh. My bad." But Riku was too busy studying Leon's reaction across Sora's crotch.

Sora brought his hand up to lick the cold substance off as the fingers of his other hand came down to clean up the rest, catching the last of the residue. He sighed heavily at the dark stain from the moisture, which extended from the top of his zipper to the edge where the pant legs started and expanded three fingers in width. Sora plopped down in his seat, causing Leon to shake his head.

"I have to go," the man said, rising quickly. Sora looked up at Leon, pouting slightly around sticky fingers.

"Oh… okay, Leon."

"Thanks." Leon mumbled, not glancing at a pouting Sora. He left without another word, spoon forgotten by the leg of his abandoned chair.

Sora turned to glare at Riku, who was smirking at the older brunet's retreating figure. "You ruined my pants!" he accused hotly.

Riku glanced down at his friend's lap, remembering how Leon's eyes widened as slender fingers came down to wipe at the creamy dessert and then licked clean by a pink tongue. "It'll wash off," he said, taking a scoop from the bowl and shoving it in his mouth in satisfaction. Sora sighed again beside him.

"But do you think Leon liked it?" he asked softly, gazing at the Crème d la Crème imprinted bowl. Riku tapped him on the nose with his spoon, lips curving slyly.

"Oh, yeah. I'd say so."

* * *

Sorry for the ultra-long wait! This chapter was pretty short, too, considering how long the update took. This chapter seemed kind of half-assed to me...

This story won't be that long. Maybe there wil be two or three chapters more, then it should be done. If it makes you feel better, this should be done by the end of summer!

Thank you for all your reviews, and I hope I continue to make this fic worth your while. Suggestions, comments, and criticism are welcome!


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